The Combined Effect of Listeners Language Background and L2 English Teaching Background on Mutual Intelligibility: a Mixed-Methods Approach

Achieving and maintaining mutual intelligibility between interlocutors has been emphasized in the second language (L2) pronunciation acquisition and pedagogy. Although previous studies identified some listener background factors that contribute to enhancing non-native speakers (NNS) speech intelligibility, little studies investigated linguistic and non-linguistic background factors together. Hence, the present study investigated the combined effect of listeners' language background and L2 English teaching background factors by using mixed-methods approach. This study conducted intelligibility transcription task of 60 listener participants who were divided into 4 listener groups according to listeners L1 and L2 teaching experience. The study found that Koreans speech was more intelligible to L1 Korean teachers than to native English (NE) non-teachers when both listeners language and L2 teaching experience were considered. In addition, qualitative analysis of the transcription task showed that L1 Korean teachers demonstrated more accurate perception than NE listeners to transcribe certain words or phrases uttered by some L1 Korean speakers. The present study found additional evidence for complex and subtle nature of mutual intelligibility, which reacts sensitively towards multitudes of listener background factors. It also found the positive effect of L2 English teaching experience on foreign-accented speech intelligibility

Amplifier Collocations in Korean EFL Learners' Academic Essay Corpus: Focus on Semantic Prosody

Collocational competence is important part of L2 English amplifier acquisition. This competence entails learners' ability to use the right combination of words with natural-sounding semantic prosody. It is Known to be an integral part of mastering pragmatic function of L2 English vocabulary, which also is a challenge for the learners at the same time (Zhang, 2008). Despite the importance, previous studies on ESL/EFL learners and native speakers of English (NE). Results from analysis found Korean learners' overall underuse in amplifiers. Also, frequently occurring amplifier ranks for each corpus differed. Semantic prosody analysis revealed that amplifiers associated with dominantly positive connotation were very, really, and highly. Amplifiers associated with dominantly negative connotation were extremely, absolutely, severely, and greatly. Contrast analysis showed that the only amplifier that Koreans and NEs used amplifier to signal same semantic prosody dominantly was severely (negative). Other than that, Koreans and NE showed salient discrepancies in semantic prosody use. The pedagogical implication of the present study is that vocabulary teaching need to include semantic prosody, and the first step will be to conduct ESL/EFL teacher education about it (Zhang, 2009). It's important to remind them of the value of semantic prosody in language communication (S Lee,2011

A homozygous Keap1-knockout human embryonic stem cell line generated using CRISPR/Cas9 mediates gene targeting

Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (keap1) is a cysteine-rich protein that interacts with transcription factor Nrf2 in a redox-sensitive manner, leading to the degradation of Nrf2 (Kim et al., 2014a). Disruption of Keap1 results in the induction of Nrf2-related signaling pathways involving the expression of a set of anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory genes. We generated biallelic mutants of the Keap1 gene using a CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing method in the H9 human embryonic stem cell (hESC). The Keap1 homozygous-knockout H9 cell line retained normal morphology, gene expression, and in vivo differentiation potential. (C) 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.

High-efficiency tooth bleaching using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma with low concentration of hydrogen peroxide

Light-activated tooth bleaching with a high hydrogen peroxide (HP; H2O2) concentration has risks and the actual role of the light source is doubtful. The use of conventional light might result in an increase in the temperature and cause thermal damage to the health of the tooth tissue. Objective This study investigated the efficacy of tooth bleaching using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NAPP) with 15% carbamide peroxide (CP; CH6N2O3) including 5.4% HP, as compared with conventional light sources. Material and Methods Forty human teeth were randomly divided into four groups: Group I (CP+NAPP), Group II (CP+plasma arc lamp; PAC), Group III (CP+diode laser), and Group IV (CP alone). Color changes (∆E) of the tooth and tooth surface temperatures were measured. Data were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Tukey's tests. Results Group I showed the highest bleaching efficacy, with a ∆E value of 1.92-, 2.61 and 2.97-fold greater than those of Groups II, III and IV, respectively (

A Microchip for High-throughput Axon Growth Drug Screening

It has been recently known that not only the presence of inhibitory molecules associated with myelin but also the reduced growth capability of the axons limit mature central nervous system (CNS) axonal regeneration after injury. Conventional axon growth studies are typically conducted using multi-well cell culture plates that are very difficult to use for investigating localized effects of drugs and limited to low throughput. Unfortunately, there is currently no other in vitro tool that allows investigating localized axonal responses to biomolecules in high-throughput for screening potential drugs that might promote axonal growth. We have developed a compartmentalized neuron culture platform enabling localized biomolecular treatments in parallel to axons that are physically and fluidically isolated from their neuronal somata. The 24 axon compartments in the developed platform are designed to perform four sets of six different localized biomolecular treatments simultaneously on a single device. In addition, the novel microfluidic configuration allows culture medium of 24 axon compartments to be replenished altogether by a single aspiration process, making high-throughput drug screening a reality

High-resolution near-IR Spectral mapping with H2_{2} and [Fe II] lines of Multiple Outflows around LkHα\alpha 234

We present a high-resolution, near-IR spectroscopic study of multiple outflows in the LkH$\alpha$ 234 star formation region using the Immersion GRating INfrared Spectrometer (IGRINS). Spectral mapping over the blueshifted emission of HH 167 allowed us to distinguish at least three separate, spatially overlapped, outflows in H${_2}$ and [Fe II] emission. We show that the H${_2}$ emission represents not a single jet, but complex multiple outflows driven by three known embedded sources: MM1, VLA 2, and VLA 3. There is a redshifted H${_2}$ outflow at a low velocity, \VLSR $<$ $+$50 {\kms}, with respect to the systemic velocity of \VLSR $=$ $-$11.5 {\kms}, that coincides with the H${_2}$O masers seen in earlier radio observations two arcseconds southwest of VLA 2. We found that the previously detected [Fe II] jet with $|$\VLSR$|$ $>$ 100 {\kms} driven by VLA 3B is also detected in H${_2}$ emission, and confirm that this jet has a position angle about 240$\degree$. Spectra of the redshifted knots at 14\arcsec$-$65\arcsec northeast of LkH$\alpha$ 234 are presented for the first time. These spectra also provide clues to the existence of multiple outflows. We detected high-velocity (50$-$120 {\kms}) H${_2}$ gas in the multiple outflows around LkH$\alpha$ 234. Since these gases move at speeds well over the dissociation velocity ($>$ 40 {\kms}), the emission must originate from the jet itself rather than H${_2}$ gas in the ambient medium. Also, position-velocity diagrams and excitation diagram indicate that emission from knot C in HH 167 come from two different phenomena, shocks and photodissociation.Comment: 32 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables, Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

RECYCLING PROCESS OF U3O8 POWDER IN MnO-Al2O3 DOPED LARGE GRAIN UO2 PELLETS

The effect of various process variables on the powder properties of recycled U3O8 from MnO-Al2O3 doped large grain UO2 pellets and the effect of those recycled U3O8 powders on the sintered density and grain size of MnO-Al2O3 doped large grain UO2 pellets have been investigated. The evolution of morphology, size, and BET surface area of the recycled U3O8 powders according to the respective variation of the thermo-mechanical treatment variables of oxidation temperature, powder milling, and sequential cyclic heat treatment of oxidation and then reduction was examined. The correlation between the BET surface area of recycled U3O8 powder and the sintered pellet properties of MnO-Al2O3 doped pellets showed that the pellet density and grain size of doped pellets were increased and then saturated by increasing the BET surface area of the recycled U3O8 powder. The density and grain size of the pellets were maximized when the BET surface area of the recycled U3O8 powder was in the vicinity of 3m2/g. Among the process variables applied in this study, the cyclic heat treatment followed by low temperature oxidation was a potential process combination to obtain the sinter-active U3O8 powder